On November 4th, the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, stood in Parliament and told the nation the SABL land grab was at an end, the unlawful leases were being cancelled and the illegal logging stopped.

But for people in rural areas suffering from the loss of their customary land and the destruction from clear fell logging operations, nothing has changed. They are still fighting, day to day, to defend their land and protect their forests with no help from the government and ongoing persecution from police officers working for the logging companies.

TAKE ACTION: SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST THE SABL LAND GRAB AND ILLEGAL LOGGING

In Pomio district, the people of Totongpal, Manginuna, Malmal, and Talie are still bravely standing together and continue to set up road blocks in the Marana land area in Portion 196C to stop the onslaught of logging while the people of Lau and Mauna are doing the same.

As the photos above and below, taken on 16 November, graphically show, the announcement from the PM is making absolutely no difference, while the quality of the road building means nothing will be left in terms of lasting infrastructure once the logging is finished.